Never Knew
by sandersonsister
Summary: Kuroo had always hoped his soulmate was Kenma. Or, if not, that the two of them would be together anyway. He couldn't imagine being with someone else, someone that knew him as well as Kenma did. But, when Kenma found his soulmate, that hope was dashed. But now... well, maybe the soulmate thing wouldn't be so bad.


Disclaimer: I don't own Haikyuu!

A/N: Just in case - I'm posting some of my stories from AO3 onto this site- so you might have read them already. :)

He had always sort of hoped it was Kenma. Not because he actually felt that way about his best friend but because, well, he was his best friend. He couldn't imagine there being someone else out there that fit him as well as Kenma did. Sure, the two didn't really have a lot in common, but they had grown up together. Kuroo knew when Kenma wanted to be alone, when things around him were getting to be too much and he needed to decompress. Kenma knew when Kuroo was upset behind the smile he plastered on his face. Kuroo could read Kenma, could tell what was going through the other boys mind. Kenma was the only person that could stop Kuroo from pushing things too far with others. He was, in a way, Kuroo's moral compass.

So, Kuroo had always thought that his mark would match Kenma's. Kuroo's mark was on his right rib cage, about the size of his palm. He tried, desperately, to remember if he saw the same mark on Kenma when they were younger, back when they didn't think much about changing in front of each other and they didn't really understand the significance of the marks.

He wanted to think that he saw something there, something that matched the one on Kuroo's body. But he wasn't sure. He tried to check when they chanced before practice, but Kenma, like most others, made sure to keep his mark covered. For a lot of people, they were private. Kuroo didn't think that. He would have been happy to walked around shirtless, his mark for all to see, so he could finally get some sort of peace.

It wasn't until Kenma met shorty that the hope was finally dashed.

Kuroo could tell from the moment he saw Kenma with the redhead that something was different. Kenma barely spoke to people he knew for months, to see him talking to a stranger he was… well, Kuroo knew he was different.

He tried to put it out of his mind during the practice match. He, like his teammate, was surprised by Karasuno's first years. However, he wasn't just focused on the weird duo.

There was something about the tall, blonde, glasses-wearing, middle blocker. Something that drew Kuroo to him. Kuroo even tried to talk to the kid after the match but he was blown off pretty quickly. Still, it didn't stop Kuroo from watching the blonde from the corner of his eye as he said farewell to the other captain and watched as Kenma said his own good-bye's to the shrimp.

"You seemed to like shrimpy," Kuroo said later to Kenma, staring at the ceiling as Kenma played one of his games.

Kenma's fingers stopped moving and Kuroo clenched his teeth as his best friend actually paused the game and put the DS down beside him. Kuroo blinked as Kenma's eyes moved up to meet his. "Kuro, his mark-"

Kuroo had to fight to keep his face blank. He couldn't say he was really surprised. He had seen the way his best friend interacted with Karasuno's small middle blocker. He knew there was something different about him. Now he just knew for sure that the idea that had been floating around in his head was real. "Are you sure?"

Kenma's eyes flickered over his face and his brow began to furrow. He nodded once, sharply, and Kuroo looked away quickly. Right. Right, he knew. He knew this. It was fine. He forced a smile on his face and turned back around. "That's great, Kenma!"

Kenma continued to frown. "Kuro-"

"Kenma," Kuroo said, his smile becoming more natural. "I really am happy for you. Did you and shorty exchange numbers?"

Kenma's frown relaxed slightly but didn't entirely disappear. "Yes. Kuro, are you alright?"

The smile slid off of Kuroo's face as he looked away and swallowed hard. "I'm fine. I guess I just always thought that the two of us…"

He trailed off as Kenma moved forward, sliding into Kuroo's line of sight. The frown was back on his face and as he looked at his best friend with confusion in his eyes. "Kuro…do you like-"

"No," Kuroo said quickly, his lips twitching. "I just… I can't imagine there being someone else out there that knows me as well as you do. And the thought of shrimpy becoming that person for you…"

Kenma rolled his eyes and slid back to his previous spot, his nimble fingers once again picking up his DS. "Don't be stupid. Hinata and I barely know each other and, even if he becomes important to me, you'll always be my best friend. The same way I'll always be yours when you meet your markmate. Stop over thinking it."

Kuroo let out a sharp laugh. Trust Kenma to dissolve all of his worries within minutes. "Right."

Kuroo became more comfortable with Kenma and shrimpy as time went on. Of course, he didn't actually see the small middle blocker – not with the distance between Miyagi and Tokyo, but Kenma and he sent texts to each other almost constantly. Even thought his best friend didn't speak often, Kuroo found himself knowing more and more about the other boy. Kenma usually wasn't even aware of how often he spoke about his markmate.

"Hinata said that Tsukishima-"

"Hinata and Kageyama were arguing again today-"

"Karasuno won their match against-"

"Hinata said that the Great King, what he calls Oikawa,-"

"Hinata and-"

Needless to say, Kuroo came to know shrimpy very, very well over the next few months. The week leading up to the training camp had Kenma more excited than Kuroo had ever seen him. Even more excited than when a new video game he wanted came out – and that was saying something.

The week before the training camp, Kenma was more excited than Kuroo had ever seen him. More than once, he caught the other boy staring at the clock, his gaming console lack in his hand. He would sigh, look away from the clock and see Kuroo watching him, blush, and turn his attention back to his game. However, this happened several times an hour and Kenma finally just gave up the day before the camp, the DS put away for the first time in Kuroo's memory.

He tried really hard not to be jealous. He truly did.

The training camp finally arrived and Kuroo mentally groaned when he realized that the shrimp didn't arrive with the rest of the team. He saw Kenma visibly wilt when Kurusano walked into the room without him. "He had make ups," Kenma told Kuroo, his shoulders hunched. "I had hoped…"

"Daichi said they'd be here soon," Kuroo said consolingly, his eyes drawn to the rest of the crows. His eyes fell on the tall first year with glasses. He looked just as bored today as he did the last time Kuroo had seen him. He had headphones over his ears and was warming up away from the rest of his team, the other first year with freckles the only person beside him.

Kuroo found his gaze drawn to the tall blond throughout the day. While the rest of his team was intent and concentrated, Kuroo could even see the realization on their faces that their team needed to go through some changes, the first year seemed to be completely distant. Purposely so. On more than one occasion, members of his team had moved closer toward him, attempting to involve him in the conversation, only to back away with either one look or a few words from the first year. He almost wished he was close enough to hear what the blond said.

Kuroo was referred to as the "scheming captain" or the "manipulation king" by both his team and others. He was good at picking out other peoples flaws and using them. He could make comments that could freeze others in their tracks. But whatever he saw in that first year… well, whatever it was is what made Kuroo invite Tsukishima to join himself, Bokuto, and Akaashi at practice.

The invitation was denied, at first anyway.

And then it wasn't and Kuroo found himself teaching the younger how to use his height to its full advantage in a block.

He had been working with Lev of receives – the boy was hopeless, he truly was – when he saw Tsukishima fail to block Bokuto yet again. He felt his lips twitch at the scowl making its way across the stoic blonds face.

"Yes!" Bokuto yelled as the ball slammed against the ground.

"You beat all of one blocker," Akaashi said calmly, the only person that was able to make Bokuto calm down.

"Well, how about two then?" Kuroo cut in as Lev passed out on the floor. He might have worked the kid a little more than he meant to…he had been slightly distracted watching Tsukishima. Kuroo moved forward to stand beside the blond, his hands on his hips and a smirk on his face as he looked at Bokuto. He looked toward the floor quickly when he saw Tsukishima look over his shoulder toward the now groaning Lev.

"Let's go!" Bokuto yelled challengingly, throwing the ball into the air.

"Four eyes, make sure you keep that straight in check," Kuroo stated as the two of them jumped to block the spike.

He saw the gleam in Bokuto's eye as they jumped and instinctively knew what the other captain was going to try to do. As soon as he hit the ball, Kuroo moved his left hand out instead of up, slamming the ball down on the other side of the net, effectively shutting the spike out completely. "Yeah!" He yelled as he landed on his feet his fists pumping up in the air.

"Damn it!" Bokuto howled, sending a familiar glare Kuroo's way.

Bokuto seemed to let it go, instead crossing his arms over his chest and focusing his attention on the first year. "You know, four eyes, you're great at reading attacks, but your blocks are pretty weak." Yikes. Way to get to the point, Bo. Kuroo felt his eyebrows rise as he saw the scowl cross Tsukishima's face. Well, seems like he wasn't as unaffected by volleyball as he seemed. "Your arms are so frail I'm scared I'm going to break them."

"I'm still a growing boy," Tsukishima replied said, smiling sarcastically. He stood to his full height and towering over the captain, earning himself a glare. "I've just started gaining muscle and getting taller."

Bokuto's face morphed into a scowl instantly and Tsukishima began to chuckle. Akaashi closed his eyes, apparently accepting defeat to Bokuto's mood.

"Talk like that and the little shrimp is going to hog all the glory," Kuroo said with a sly look on his face. "You play the same position, right?"

There was complete silence and Kuroo instantly felt that he might have messed up. He saw Tsukishima's expression freeze as he turned the words over in his head. "I don't think that can be helped," Tsukishima finally muttered, rubbing the back of his neck and smiling a fake smile. "The difference in natural talent between me and Hinata is too great."

Kuroo blinked in surprise at the comment and opened his mouth to respond. He wasn't expecting that. He didn't say anything as some of his teammates walked in, most of them instantly laughing as they saw Lev still laying on the floor. He turned once more to Tsukishima as he began to speak. "Well, looks like I'll be in the way," he said, turning away toward the door. "If you'll excuse me."

"Hey!" Kuroo yelled out, panicked for some reason at the thought of the blond leaving.

He didn't stop, didn't even turn around, and Kuroo was left to stare after him with a frown on his face and regret filling his stomach. Looks like he miscalculated. "Looks like you stepped on a mine, Kuroo-san," Akaashi stated, coming to stand beside him.

"You pissed him off," was Bokuto's comment.

"That I did," Kuroo agreed as Tsukishima moved fully out of view.

The next day, the first year avoided Kuroo at all costs. More than once, he had tried to get closer to the other boy only to find himself talking to someone else as the blond moved out of his range.

Well, he wouldn't be able to hide forever – especially at the full training camp the next week.

It was easier said than done. He tried to corner the blond and was viciously shut down. So much so that he actually considered just leaving the blond alone completely.

So it was completely surprising when said first year walked into the gym when he was practicing with Bokuto and Akaashi.

He was laughing with Bokuto, Akaashi smiling at them fondly. Akaashi spotted him first. Kuroo saw his eyebrows raise in surpise and Kuroo turned to follow his gaze. "Oh," Akaashi slipped.

"Oh, what's this?" Bokuto questioned with a smirk as he laid eyes on the first year.

"What's this, what's this?" Kuroo cut in, for some reason feeling desperate to have the blonds eyes on him.

Tsukishima took a deep breath and moved forward. "There is something I want to ask you. May I?"

"Sure!" Bokuto and Kuroo chorused. What could glasses possibly want to ask them that he would willingly come here after avoiding Kuroo as he had?

Tsukishima blinked in surprise, "Thank you very much," he said, bowing slightly. "Both of your schools are sometimes considered powerhouse schools, right?"

Kuroo felt the smirk slide off of his face "Well, yeah," Kuroo he replied, not knowing where this conversation could possibly be going.

"Even if you were able to make it to nationals," Tsukishima continued, apparently ignoring the irritation in Kuroo's tone, "actually winning there would be difficult, right?"

Kuroo felt a scowl cross his features and he noticed Bokuto's hands move to clench into fists. "But not impossible!" he yelled out.

"Now, now, let's hear him out," Akaashi said lightly, glancing at his captain. "This is just a what if." Kuroo kept his mouth shut, interested in where the first year was going with this but not liking the way it started.

"I seriously can't figure out how everyone can be so determined. Volleyball is just a club and maybe you'll get to write I worked really hard in high school on your resume, right?"

Bokuto glared, "Just a club?" he snarled and Kuroo almost took a step back. Tsukishima actually did take a startled step back, probably because of the glare Bokuto focused on him. Even Kuroo grew uncomfortable when Bokuto got that look on his face. "It almost sounds like someone's name."

Kuroo blinked, turning the sentence over in his head, "Oh, like Mary Club?"

"What?" Tsukishima asked, puzzled. But neither Kuroo or Bokuto were paying him any attention. They were too busy arguing over the possibility of the name…

"Say, four-eyes!" Bokuto finally said, cutting Kuroo off mid sentence as he apparently remembered what started this entire thing in the first place. Kuroo, who was used to his friends wandering mind, simply fell silent.

"It's Tsukishima."

"Say, Tsukishima-kun," Bokuto continued, "is volleyball fun?"

There was silence at the question and Kuroo felt himself wince. No wonder the blond didn't try to improve if he didn't even enjoy the game. Even Kenma liked to play occasionally. "No, not really," came the expected answer.

"Maybe that's because you suck," Kuroo fought back at laugh as the words left Bokuto's mouth. The look on Tsukishima's face was priceless. "I'm a third year and I've been to nationals," Bokuto continued, "and I'm better than you. Like, way better."

"You don't have to tell me that."

"But I only recently started thinking volleyball was fun," Bokuto said. Kuroo frowned. It was true – Bokuto really hadn't enjoyed the game until the past year (around the time Akaashi joined the team…not that Kuroo was saying that had something to do with it…). When Kuroo had met the boy, he only played the game because he was good at it. But now, now he actually enjoyed it. "Ever since my straight became usable in matches. Because my cross hits that I was really good at kept getting blocked. I got frustrated and practiced the hell out of straights. And, at the next tournament, the same blockers couldn't touch it. I got right past them. Just that one shot made me feel like my time had finally come." He laughed loudly, a grin breaking out across his face before he turned his gold eyes onto Tsukishima. "It all depends on if you have the moment or not. It doesn't really matter what happens in the future, or if you can win your next match, the joy you feel beating the guy in front of you and when you're able to pull out 120% of your potential, is everything."

Kuroo almost felt like applauding. It was the most serious Kuroo had actually seen his friend, and a speech like that… well, it showed just why Bokuto was captain of a powerhouse school and why his team dealt with him, no matter his "dejected" moods.

"Well, at least that's how it is for me," Bokuto continued, arms crossed over his chest. "It doesn't mean it applies to everyone. I don't really understand why you say it's just a club but I don't think you're wrong. But once that moment arrives for you, that's the moment you'll be hooked on volleyball."

Tsukishima didn't reply. He appeared to be deep in thought and Kuroo didn't want to disturb him. If the blonde was finding a reason to be interested in volleyball, Kuroo certainly wasn't going to stop it.

Apparently, Bokuto didn't get the memo. "All right," Bokuto said loudly, clapping his hands and making Tsukishima jump. "I answered your question, now help with blocking."

Kuroo moved to stand beside the blonde, throwing his arm around his shoulders and pulling him toward the net. "Let's go make Bokuto cry," he said lowly, laughing at the glare Akaashi shot him and the loud "bring it!" from Bokuto.

Kuroo found himself enjoying the other boys company far more than he expected. He could tease the other boy without the worry that he would get offended – in fact, he usually had a quip ready and waiting. It was a new experience for Kuroo and he began to feel slightly guilty about just how happy he was when he was around Tsukishima.

It wasn't until the last night that Kenma brought it up. "Kuro…you seem to like Tsukishima."

Kuroo smiled at his friend. They hadn't seen each other much this week, Kuroo spending time with Bokuto, Akaasha, and recently Tsukishima, while Kenma spent as much time as he could with shorty. Of course, his best friend needed his alone time, which was when the shrimp ended up practicing with them in the gym. "He's a funny guy."

Kenma didn't bother to look up from his game, "No, Kuro. You like him."

He blinked as the words sank into his mind. Did he…like Tsukishima? No, he couldn't. He had a soulmate…not that it was unusual. Many people had relationships before they met their match. Hell, some of them even stayed with the other person even after they met the person with their mark. Up to only a couple of months ago, he had even considered staying with Kenma and not even trying to find his soulmate. But… after seeing Kenma with shrimpy…he had begun to think that maybe it wouldn't be so bad…

Tsukishima didn't fit into that thought.

If he was going to be in a relationship it wasn't going to be with a snarky blonde that he could actually fall for. Not only was there a chance he would meet his soulmate, what would he do if they were in a relationship and the other found his soulmate and ended things?

Okay, maybe he was getting a little ahead of himself. Hell, he didn't even know if the feeling was mutual.

Some of his thoughts must have been showing on his face, because Kenma suddenly put the video game down and moved to sit in front of Kuroo, looking into his eyes. "Kuro? You okay?"

"Fine," Kuroo said instantly.

Kenma stared at him, obviously not believing his words. "What's wrong?"

"Over thinking," Kuroo said simply, knowing his best friend would understand.

Kenma merely frowned, sitting back and staring at his friend. "Hinata said Tsukishima talked to you more than he has seen him talk to anyone except Yamaguchi."

"Who?"

"The first year with the freckles," Kenma muttered.

"Ah."

Kenma rolled his eyes toward the ceiling before refocusing on Kuroo. "Kuro, Hinata said he thought Tsukshima liked you. And, according to Hinata, Tsukishima hates everyone."

Kuroo fought against rolling his own eyes. Hinata said and according to Hinata were two phrases they had heard many many times over the past few months. "Okay, good to know. Blondie doesn't hate me. Likes talking to me. Good."

Kenma frowned before slowly letting out a deep sigh and pulling his DS toward him. "Paw print," he muttered.

"What?"

"Tsukishima…paw print…"

Kenma apparently didn't have anything else to say, but Kuroo had heard enough. He stood quickly, running out the door and down the corridor toward the Kurusano rooms. "Kuroo?" Daichi questioned as the door slid open. He stared at him, confused, and Kuroo was sure he was probably quite the site.

"Tsukishima?" He asked.

Daichi looked over his shoulder and then stepped to the side as Tsukishima moved forward. "Kuroo? What is it?"

"Paw print!" Kuroo said quickly.

Tsukishima's face shuttered. "How did you-" he broke off, turning his head to look over his shoulder with a glare. Kuroo heard Hinata yelp. "What about it?" He asked, turning to face Kuroo once more.

"Is it…" Kuroo shook his head, not able to find the words for the first time in his life. With an irritated groan, he decided that showing might be better than telling. He quickly lifted his shirt just enough to display the paw print that decorated his rib cage.

Tsukishima stared down at his mark, blinked, then stepped forward and slid the door closed behind him, blocking the curious looks they were getting from the rest of his team.

Kuroo let his shirt fall once more, swallowing hard. "I don't know if – I mean, Kenma just said that you had a paw print for your mark, so I thought that maybe…I'm sure there are many people that have the-"

"Kuroo."

"- mark of a paw print. I don't even know where your mark is located, so this could have just been really odd, but-"

"Kuroo."

"-I just felt that we had some sort of…thing happening and when I heard that-"

"Kuroo! They match.!"

"-maybe we would… wait, what did you say?" Kuroo stopped, trying to process the words he had just heard.

Tsukishima rolled his eyes before lifting the side of his shirt. There, on his right ribcage, sat a perfect replica of the mark on Kuroo's own ribs. "Oh," Kuroo finally said, unable to move his eyes.

"Yes, oh," Tsukishima reiterated, the mark getting covered as his shirt fell. He wasn't looking at Kuroo, instead he was staring off down the hall with an impassive face.

Kuroo didn't know what to say. This was becoming a common occurrence, an irritating one. What did one say to his newly found soulmate?

"So…" he gave a tired smirk. "You come here often?"

Tsukishima's eyes snapped to his and Kuroo kept the smirk firmly planted on his face. "You're an idiot."

Smirk growing wider, Kuroo waved a hand, "And yet, this idiot is your soulmate."

"Lucky me."


End file.
